The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-12-08
An Old Morse War Ship.

No object so thoroughly fascinated me
in visit TO Norway and Sweden during
the summer OF 1882 as the splendid exam
pie OF ancient shipping discovered shortly
! before at Gokstad, on one of the penipsu
las OF Southern Norway.
The length from stem to stern over all
is 7S feet. the keel alone measuring 66
feet. The breadth of beam is Is | feet,
and the depth about feet Oak alone
was used in the construction, the body be-
ing unpainted, while the stem and stern
posts were decorated. The planks were
laid on over the frame timbers in our lap
streak style, each overlapping the one
below 1t, and were fastened together with
iron bolts rveted aud clinched upon the
inside "clinker-built, as We now call it,
The plankirg was lashed to the frames by
means of projections. with wicker-like
cords or withes, made from the roots Of
trees, aud the seams were calked witt
hair OF cattle spun into cord OF three
strands, and this was not driven into the
crevices, but laid 10 when the planking
was put together.
From this method of construction as
we'll as from the character Of the relics
found and the use of the vessel as means
of sepulture, Mr.. Nicolaysan infers that il
was built during the later iron age, OF
between A ID. 700 and 1000. (rhe early
iron age comprises the first seven centur
les after the Christian era) The decora
tions OF the trimmings on the prov, gun
vale and stern post, the numerous cary
ings, both upon the ship and the relics,
together with the handy use OF colors,
exhibit very strong influence from IrisL
decorative art. For in her palmy days
before the beginning Of the eighth century
Ireland outstrlpped every other country
In mi Mature painting and the ornaments
tion of metal and wood. This consldera
tion fixes the date OF construction |
subsequent TO A. d. 700
Its great sharpness Of build and fD,
sheer gave to it model which does not |
suffer 10 comparison with that OF the |
Galatea, or the best of the yachts used Oh
the English coast for sailing in deep
waters. IL had the advantage however,
of n iattened bottom amidships, whicl |
must have secured TO it much great
stealiness than the Engli,h cutters
something. 10 fact, between the cutter
and the fiat keelless boat OF the centre
board type Suggesting at once the model
of Mr. Bnrgess's latest design, the Volun-
teer The peculiar method OF attaching
the rudder to the side OF the stern afforded
manifest advantages for shipping and
unsbipping, but did not admit Of az
prompt an effect as does the adjustment
Of the modern rudder From the height
OF the portfolios cut 10 the sides 10 receive
the oars it is certain that the oarsmen
rowed 10 a sitting posture, as We see them
on the Bsyeux tapestry and on the Hagge-
by stone 10 Sweden. The merchant yes
sells were not fitted with portfolios for oar
aud had no flooring on the beams so tba
the Gokstad vessel could only have beef
a war ship, especially as she was fitted 70.
saiiing also, and carried at least three
small boats, indicating a large crew.
Besides, trader would never have been
thought Of for burial. 1t was, without
doubt, then. individual property belonging
to some prominent cbIcitain. and niue
have carried from seventy TO eighty men,
for the fragments indicate that there we're
thirty two shields aud siiteen psirs Of
handle one oar Of this sizs. the rowers
alone must have been siEly-iour 10 nun